Unbelievable Discovery
Found in Gaza: IDF Recovers Assault Rifle of Fallen October 7 Hero Capt. Daniel Perez
In a poignant discovery, Israeli forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip have located the assault rifle belonging to Captain Daniel Perez, who fell in battle and was abducted on October 7, finding the weapon within a booby-trapped terrorist compound.
A Warrior’s Rifle Recovered
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip have recovered the personal weapon of Captain Daniel Perez, a tank commander who was killed in action and whose body was subsequently taken captive by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 onslaught. Perez's remains were returned to Israel approximately two months ago as part of a ceasefire deal.
The discovery of the M-16 assault rifle was made by reservists from the Carmeli Brigade within a compound in the northern part of the Strip. The site itself was found to be booby-trapped, underscoring the dangers faced by the soldiers carrying out the search operations. The military reported that the recovery was achieved following intelligence that precisely indicated where the weapon was being stored by the terrorist organization.
The Battle of October 7
Captain Daniel Perez, a platoon commander in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, was stationed near the Gaza border on the morning of October 7, 2023. He immediately ran to his tank and, along with his crew, known as "Team Perez", fought valiantly for hours to repel the massive Hamas invasion near the Nahal Oz military outpost.
Perez was killed during the intense fighting, alongside his comrades Sergeant Tomer Leibovitz and Staff Sergeant Itay Chen. Following the battle, the bodies of both Captain Perez and Staff Sergeant Chen were taken captive into Gaza. Their comrade, Matan Angrest, was abducted alive and was later released from captivity.
The recovery of the weapon holds symbolic importance for the IDF and for the family of the fallen hero, closing another physical chapter in the story of his final, heroic defense of the border communities. Captain Perez, who immigrated to Israel from South Africa with his family, was previously declared dead by the IDF in March 2024, and was finally laid to rest with full military honors upon the return of his remains in October 2025.